Washington County November unemployment steady at 5%

Washington County's unemployment rate held steady at 5.0% from October into November, 2010.  This is the 2nd lowest unemployment rate in Eastern Iowa, behind Johnson County.  The total laborforce held steady at 12,200 with 11,600 employed persons in the County.

Of the estimated 600 Washington County unemployed persons, only 168 were drawing Unemployment Insurance benefits (down from 176 in November and 215 in September).  For 19 of those receiving Unemployment benefits, their last payment occurred in November, while 31 received their first Unemployment benefit payment.

The State and County data is from the Labor Market and Economic Research Bureau of the Iowa Workforce Development.

Federal Home Loan Bank awards 2 grants in Washington County for rehab and homeownership assistance

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines recently awarded $3.1 Million for 16 projects in Iowa through its Affordable Housing Program (AHP).

Two of the 16 projects are in Washington County.  Riverside Senior Village received $110,000 for energy efficiency improvements to 28 senior affordable apartments, through FHLB partner Freedom Security Bank in Kalona. Village manager, Don Yoder prepared the FHLB application. The Village was originally financed by the USDA 35 years ago.

The second grant was $58,000 to Washington County for assisting 10 households with home ownership, including rehab assistance. This grant application was prepared by the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG), through FHLB partner Federation Bank in Washington. Washington County has received FHLB AHP funding for the past several years.

In addition to these two projects in Washington County, there were an additional 5 FHLB grants in the 6-County ECICOG region. This is a remarkable achievement!

"The FHLB Des Moines Affordable Housing Program provides private funding for the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of lower-income affordable housing units. Each year FHLB Des Moines commits 10 percent of its annual net income to developing affordable housing. This year, $16.3 million was awarded to 57 projects [in 5 states]."

Washington healthcare leaders meet with Rep. Dave Heaton to discuss federal legislation

On Monday, several non-profit healthcare leaders met with Rep. Dave Heaton (R-District 91) of Mt. Pleasant about recently passed federal healthcare legislation and what it means in Iowa.  Rep. Heaton has served on the Iowa House - Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee for a number of years.

Rep. Heaton's comments and insights were helpful but there are still many unknowns regarding how the federal legislation will be affected by the upcoming Congress in 2011, and how the Iowa General Assembly will address upcoming milestones in the legislation.

Much uncertainly remains with few well understood costs or effects.

When the discussion turned to federal guidance on establishing new ways for communities to deliver healthcare and wellness services, Rep. Heaton noted that one successful community collaboration working toward better health and wellness is Healthy Henry County Communities.  Washington County businesses, organizations and institutions have started the first steps of working toward a similar approach to wellness by forming the SAFE Coalition in 2010.

The meeting was at Wesley Halcyon House retirement community in Washington, and a delicious lunch was served by Halcyon's Applewood Bistro.  The meeting was arranged by Tim Coffey of the Washington Chamber of Commerce and Ed Raber of the Washington Economic Development Group.

Washington County school leaders tour Kirkwood's Jones Regional Education Center to discuss future collaboration opportunities

School leaders from Washington, Mid-Prairie, Highland and Columbus School Districts, along with the Washington Economic Development Group, toured the innovative, new Kirkwood Community College - Jones Regional Education Center in Monticello, Iowa on Tuesday, December 7th.

Jones Center director Kristy Black and Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich gave an overview of how the $6 Million Center came to be.  Monticello school officials were also present to share their experience.

The development of the Jones Regional Education Center (JREC) took almost 10 years, and ongoing dialog and collaboration between 8 area school districts and Kirkwood Community College officials.  The JREC exists because - a need to create better opportunities for students, solve limitations of individual school districts, thinking outside the box, a shared willingness to collaborate and be flexible, and the will to commit for the long term.

The JREC hosts 230 high school students for part day academy classes that can earn students college credit and professional certifications.  It also serves area adults for Kirkwood credit and continuing education courses.

Thanks to all the area participants for taking the time to visit the new JREC and begin a dialog in Washington County.

• Mark Schneider, Superintendent at Mid-Prairie & Keota School Districts
• Chris Armstrong, Superintendent at Highland School District
• Dr. Mike Jorgensen, Superintendent at Washington Community School District
• Eric Buchholz, Washington High School Principal
• Eric Turner, Washington School Board President
• Tara Paul, Curriculum Director at Columbus Community School District
• Nancy Rash, Kirkwood Washington Center Director
• Ed Raber, Dir. of Washington Economic Development Group

5 Washington Commercial Expansion/Relocation Projects under construction

Five important commercial expansion or relocation projects in Washington are moving toward completion in 2011. These will add significantly to the Washington tax base and help these businesses to grow.

Mercy Family Practice of Washington - Part of Mercy Iowa City, this 17,000 s.f., $4 Million medical facility is scheduled for completion in late 2011 on South Iowa Ave.  The trusses being installed in the picture below were manufactured by Engineered Building Design, LLC in Washington. The facility will be heated and cooled with a geothermal system. The medical clinic is vacating about 8,000 s.f. of space in the Washington County Hospitals and Clinics facility a few blocks away.

Pizza Ranch -Washington Pizza Ranch is building a new 5,200 s.f. restaurant on Washington's east side on Wiley St., near the new Wal-Mart superstore. Dalhaze Development of Washington is the general contractor. Engineered Building Design, LLC supplied the wall panels for quick erection, as well as the roof trusses. The restaurant is scheduled to open in Spring 2011. The project is financed by MidWestOne bank and an SBA 504 loan from Iowa Business Growth Company. The restaurant is relocating from rented space on West Madison St.

Pierce Auto Body - Randy Pierce is building a new 6,500 s.f. auto body repair facility on East Washington St., next to Capper Auto. The facility was financed through West Chester Savings Bank in Washington and a SBA 504 loan through Iowa Business Growth Company. Ossman Construction is the general contractor, and HVAC is supplied by Armstrong Heating and Air, all of Washington. This is a relocation for the business from smaller facilities a few block to the west on Hwy 92.

Drahota Woodworking - Andy Drahota, owner of Drahota Woodworking purchased the last lot in the Washington Industrial Park in August and is now building a 2,400 s.f. workshop on part of the 1/2 acre lot. Tad Ross of Maple Grove Construction is the general contractor. The workshop should be completed in Spring 2011.  Drahota is moving out of rented space that is under new ownership.

Syngenta Seeds - Syngenta Seeds is building a 7,200 s.f. machine storage warehouse for its Project Development group on the north side of its campus on North 12th Ave. in Washington. The building project was designed and constructed by Greiner Buildings of Washington.

For more information contact the City of Washington's Building and Zoning Department at (319) 653-6584  Ext. 24.

Washington County unemployment drops to 5%

Washington County's unemployment rate fell to 5.0% in October, 2010.  This is the 2nd lowest unemployment rate in Eastern Iowa, behind Johnson County.  The total laborforce also fell slightly to 12,200 with 11,600 employed persons in the County.

Of the estimated 600 Washington County unemployed persons, only 176 were drawing Unemployment Insurance benefits (down from 215 in September).  For 17 of those receiving Unemployment benefits, their last payment occurred in September, while 26 received their first Unemployment benefit payment.

The State and County data is from the Labor Market and Economic Research Bureau of the Iowa Workforce Development.

Scandinavian Interiors furniture store almost ready to open in Riverside, Iowa.

Kelly Wood is getting ready to open the new location for Scandinavian Interiors in Riverside, Iowa's Eastside Commercial Site development.  The planned opening day is Friday, December 3rd, 2010.

The store was a fixture for a number of years on the Coralville "Strip" but has been closed since the floods of 2008 almost (but not quite) inundated the business.  Wood, of rural Ainsworth, considered other locations to reopen the business and settled on Commercial Drive in the new Eastside Commercial Site in Riverside, Iowa just off US 218 and Hwy 22. 

Currently, the other major businesss in the subdivision include the new University of Iowa Health Care - River Crossing medical clinic, and Saints Avenue Custom Homes. The development is just south of the popular Travel Mart fueling station, convenience store and restaurant.

The general contractor for Kelly Wood was her husband, Matt Wood of Wood Construction. Don Marie Electric did the electric work.

The development is owned by the City of Riverside. Additional commercial lots are available through Kenneth Kucera of Riverside Realty.

Washington Schools host 11/16 6:00pm forum for Renovation Plan for Middle School

Here is a great opportunity to get some info and give some feedback on a major Washington School improvement project.

Washington Middle School
Renovation Plan Public Forum 

Hosted by WCSD and Bergland and Cram Architects 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010 6:00pm - 8:30pm 

Washington High School Auditorium

313 S. 4th Avenue
Washington, IA 52353

6:00-6:30 pm Walk-through of (existing) high school. This building is to become the 6-8 grade Middle School.

Meeting Agenda 6:30 - 8:30 pm

• Overview of past meetings 
• School Board renovation priorities 
• View revised schematic design 
• Public Input 
• Outline next steps

Before attending this public forum on Tuesday, be sure to stop by the Washington Chamber of Commerce's Alive After 5 networking event at The Tile Studio, 611 N. 6th Ave. in Washington. Sherry and Maggie Renoux will be glad you did.  This was a great event last year.

More cool building improvements in downtown Washington

There are quite a few building improvement projects in the Main Street Washington Downtown District that are either wrapping up or just getting underway.  All of them are making downtown a more attractive, business friendly, scene.

Zager Plumbing and Heating at 204 S. Iowa Ave. did a facade and entryway project that included a new retractable awning and exposing some of the transom glass block above the entry.  They received design assistance from Main Street Iowa, and received a matching grant of $2500 from Main Street Washington (which they received from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation).  Renoux Builders did the construction work.

Central Park Community Center, next to the new Washington Public Library on Washington St., also did a facade project that exposed some of the intact transom glass block above the entryway. Note the new street light and bench in front of the building.  This project has mostly been funded by an anonymous benefactor!  The Community Center is frequently a polling location in Washington.

Ann Williams' future Farm Bureau Insurance office on North Iowa Ave. is just getting underway.  The vinyl siding has been removed, and at some point cinder block was installed to replace the original brick facade. Main Street Iowa helped Williams develop a new look, and Matt Wood of Wood Construction is carrying out the redevelopment.  In addition to her insurance office, Williams is planning a large second story apartment.  This project also received a $15,000 grant from Main Street Washington (through the Washington County Riverboat Foundation).

Finally, note the changing of the seasons.  The Washington City Park Department oversees the installation of a seasonal metal cover for the iconic Central Park Fountain.  The custom metal cover was built by Evans Welding in Washington and was being installed with the assistance of Franzen Electric, also of Washington.  The Andy Ross family of Ross Auto do a lot of volunteer work to maintain the fountain throughout the summer months, and also get it ready to open in the Spring and ready to close up for the Winter.  During the winter, the Park Department installs a light display that resembles the water spray from the fountain.  Pretty neat.

City of Washington solicits proposals for downtown redevelopment project

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, IOWA
The City of Washington has issued a Request for Proposals on a unique development opportunity in beautiful, historic downtown Washington. The City is offering a site for redevelopment under favorable terms.
If interested, call or email David Plyman, City Administrator, to request a copy of the RFP at (319) 653‐6584 or dplyman@washingtoniowa.net

Proposals are due by December 16, 2010. The following 10-page RFP explains the opportunity in detail.

Downtown Washington RFP

The City's parcels are on S. Marion Ave., just off the town square. This area has recently undergone a major streetscape project, and there has been significant private reinvestment to buildings in the area.

Interested parties may also contact local economic development officials to confidentially discuss questions, ideas, or further opportunities:

Ed Raber, Director (this blog's author)
Washington Economic Development Group
205 W. Main Street
Washington, IA 52353-1722
office 319/653-3942 | cell 319/653-8605
wedg@iowatelecom.net
wedg.blogspot.com

Amy J. Vetter │Executive Director
Main Street Washington
205 West Main Street
Washington, IA 52353
(319) 653-3272 (o) │ (319) 863-3423 (c)
(319) 653-5805 (f) │ washms@iowatelecom.net

Bodywrx building historic rehab gets new windows, new cornices

The Bodywrx Fitness Center building on the east side of the Washington town square is starting to see some visible rennovations.

Last week, new windows were installed. This is after the steel false front was removed, and the cinderblocks in the window spaces were removed.  What an improvement!

Today, the first of two replacement cornices was installed. You can see from the picture that on the right, the bricks where the cornice goes are not nice and neat like the rest of the brick face. Builders used imperfect bricks to fill the space behind the cornice. The original cornices were removed many years ago when the steel facing was installed.

The new awning was installed about a month ago.

This project is making a big difference in the Main Street Washington downtown district.

Washington County laborforce surges, unemployment holds steady at 5.2%

Washington County's unemployment rate held steady at 5.2% in September, 2010.  This is the 2nd lowest unemployment rate in Eastern Iowa, behind Johnson County.  The real positive news in the County was that the laborforce surged by 2.5% to 12,500 in September from 12,200 in August. The number of employed persons in the County also grew by over 200 to 11,800.

It is encouraging to see people re-entering the laborforce, and crisp increases in hiring or rehiring around the County resulted in over 200 more Washington Co. people being employed.

Of the estimated 600 Washington County unemployed persons, only 215 were drawing Unemployment Insurance benefits.  For 20 of those receiving Unemployment benefits, their last payment occurred in September, while 29 received their first Unemployment benefit payment.

The State and County data is from the Labor Market and Economic Research Bureau of the Iowa Workforce Development.

Commercial development - Pizza Ranch - begins on Washington's east side

Construction work has begun on the first commercial development project adjacent to the year-old Super Wal-Mart store on Washington's east side.

The first project is on approx. 2 acres in the Wiley Subdivision on the south side of Hwy 92 (Washington St.) and Wiley Ave., adjacent to Super Wal-Mart. Phase I of the project includes a 5,200 s.f. Pizza Ranch with a drive through. This is a larger location for the successful Pizza Ranch, currently located in leased space next to the regional Iowa DNR office in the old Hy-Vee store.

Phase II on the 2 acre site is planned to include 12,250 s.f. of retail/restaurant custom space.

Jeff Hazelett, of Dalhaze Development and broker at Washington Real Estate, handled the land acquisition and concept.

MMS Consultants of Iowa City did the site design. Delong Construction of Washington is doing the site preparation, including utility extensions and storm water detention area. The Pizza Ranch was financed by Midwest One bank, and a SBA 504 loan through Iowa Business Growth Company.

Greg Wiley has three additional prime commercial lots adjacent to the new Super Wal-Mart, which opened in the fall of 2009.

Paved Bike Shoulder on Wayland Road moving ahead

The Washington County project to pave about 7 miles of Wayland Road(W-55) south of the City of Washington, Iowa is moving along quickly toward completion this fall. Construction started last week.

The 4' paved shoulders will include a rumble strip close to the edge of the motor roadway to improve safety for motorists on this hilly and winding road through the picturesque Crooked Creek (and Skunk River) valleys in southern Washington County. The outside 3' of the paved shoulder will provide an excellent lane for biking, with safe separation from motor vehicles. The Wayland Road has become a popular route for bicyclists.

View Wayland Road Paved Bike Shoulders in a larger map

The project will provide safer biking access for several subdivisions south of Washington, plus improved access to popular County Parks, Sockum Ridge and Fern Cliff. The paved shoulders will end at 320th St. where Wayland Road becomes flat south into Wayland, IA.  32th St. is paved to the east and west, providing good access to other amenities in the region.

The project has been financed with a $500,000 safety grant from the Iowa DOT, a $250,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation in June, plus another $250,000 of local County funding.

The shoulder project is being done by L.L. Pelling Co. of North Liberty, IA.

Montchevre grand opening for anaerobic digester

BELMONT, WISCONSIN - Montchevre Betin, award winning goat cheese producers hosted a grand opening celebration for a new anaerobic digester on October 8, 2010.

The digester utilizes the waste stream from its 100,000 s.f. Belmont, WI cheese plant to make bio-gas, which is then burned to generate electricity.  Alliant Energy is purchasing all of the power from the digester, which is enough to power 200 homes.  The digester was designed by Eric Fessler, P.E., of Procorp Enterprises, LLC in Milwaukee, WI.

In addition to many dignitaries from Wisconsin, Washington Economic Development Group director, Ed Raber, and board director Tom Davey of US Bank, were on hand to congratulate Montchevre on their accomplishment.

Established in 1988, Montchevre has many Amish goat milk producers in Southeast Iowa and Northern Missouri which they serve with several milk routes. In 2009, Montchevre opened a milk transfer station in Washington, Iowa to support its Wisconsin operation. We hope that Montchevre will further expand into cheese production, including a digester, in Washington in the future.

Their cheese is really great!  Montchevre recently won two gold medals in the 2010 Wold Championship Cheese Contest.

Washington County unemployment rate holds steady at 5.4% in August

Washington County's monthly unemployment rate for August 2010 held steady at 5.4% for the second month.  This is the second lowest unemployment rate in all of Eastern Iowa, behind Johnson County with 5.1%.

Washington County's labor force is over 12,200 and there are about 700 of those people that are considered unemployed.

The State of Iowa's unemployment rate in August is unchanged from July at 6.8%, and the national rate increased slightly to 9.6%.

The State and County data is from the Labor Market and Economic Research Bureau of the Iowa Workforce Development.

MD Orthopaedics of Wayland among fastest growing companies in America

MD Orthopaedics of Wayland, Iowa, has been recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. The company, started by entrepreneur and CEO John Mitchell, is listed as the 704th fastest growing private company in 2010.

The company was reported to have 435% growth over the past 3 years, and sales of $4.2 million in the last year.

MD Orthopaedics has also been recognized by the Corridor Business Journal as one of the top 10 fastest growing companies in the greater Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area in Eastern Iowa for the past two years.

Mr. Mitchell started his company in his garage in rural Washington County, Iowa almost 7 years ago.  He developed and manufacturers the Ponsetti clubfoot brace. Developed with the encouragement of Dr. Ponsetti at the University of Iowa as a part of his revolutionary, non-surgical method for treating infant clubfoot.  This methodology has been adopted worldwide, and MD Orthopaedics ships its clubfoot brace to doctors and families around the globe.

Mr. Mitchell received support and encouragement from many sources while starting his business, including the Washington Economic Development Group, the UI's Small Business Development Center, Dr. Ponsetti and the Ponsetti Foundation, the Iowa Dept. of Economic Development, and parents around the world that provided feedback about how his device helped their babies.

There were a total of 26 Iowa companies that made Inc.'s list of the top 5000.  This includes Marion-based Involta (#40), Clickstop from Urbana, TMone from Iowa City, and Hybrid Transit Systems, Geonetiric, Raining Rose, Circle Computer Resources, RuffaloCODY and TrueNorth from Cedar Rapids.

Sign up for FastTrac® New Venture Entrepreneurial Training course

The UI's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the UI John Pappajohn Entrepreneruial Center (JPEC) are again offering a 7 week entrepreneurial training course, beginning Sept. 28.

This initiative is designed to provide a wide range of learning experiences for individuals who wish to create a venture, learn the entrepreneurial process, or need to update their knowledge and skills to grow their businesses. FastTrac® New Venture is a program designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage ventures. The seven-session program focuses on the development of a plan to successfully launch a new sustainable venture.

During the 7-session program, participants will:

• Research the down market and learn how you can succeed with your business
• Evaluate the financial potential of your venture
• Identify sources of capital for financing your new venture
• Network with successful entrepreneurs and business experts
• Learn to benefit from the current economic environment
• Receive excellent materials!

Where & When
Tuesdays, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
September 28 - November 9, 2010
C129 Pomerantz Center
The University of Iowa

To Register, visit www.iowajpec.org or call (319) 384-1968.  The cost (including course materials) is $149. For students, the cost is $75.

Main Street Washington & Bodywrx Fitness Center get $250k I-JOBS rehab grant

Iowa Governor, Chet Culver announced yesterday in a press release that Main Street Washington and Bodywrx Fitness Center were among the recipients of $13 million in I-JOBS grants to support physical infrastructure projects in "Main Street Iowa" communities.

The Bodywrx Fitness Center project, owned and operated by Teri Hartzler, received $250,000 in I-JOBS toward a total project of about $368,000. Additional grant money toward the project was through a Main Street Washington grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.

The project will include removing the sheet metal from the building front, restoring the original facade to the building, creating a new access to the upper floor, and creating two large apartments. Bodywrx had been working closely with Main Street Washington director, Amy Vetter and other volunteers on developing the project for the past year. The Bodywrx building is a key downtown building on the east side of the newly renovated side of the Washington town square.

Go ahead and "like" Main Street Washington on FaceBook.

IDOT county traffic around Washington County

The Iowa DOT is finishing up counting traffic around Washington County. Every four years, the Iowa DOT conducts extensive traffic counts throughout Southeast Iowa. These traffic counts include state and federal highways, arterial city and county roads, and even some lower use residential roads.

The data collected this summer will not be available until the Spring or Summer of 2011.

Traffic count data is valuable for business planning and for helping local and state government to make programming decisions for maintenance, construction, speed limits, and other policy considerations.

Historical traffic count maps of Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) for cities, counties and statewide are available for download from their website, www.iowadotmaps.gov.  AADT maps are available for download (as PDFs) for Southeast Iowa for the years 2006, 2002 and 1998. Older paper maps are available for order from the Iowa DOT offices in Ames.

Traffic levels are generally pretty stable around Washington County, with the exception of along the US 218 (Avenue of the Saints) expressway, which is continues to grow rapidly.

	2006	1998
- Washington Hwy 92 - by Korner Kreamery	8,300	8,000
- US 218, north of Riverside	16,800	11,200
- Hwy 1, north of Kalona	6,200	5,900
- Hwy 92, between Washington & Ainsworth	3,870	4,120

The Iowa DOT uses pneumatic tubes laid across a roadway to count traffic on this scale rather than using people or cameras.  Its a pretty good system for collecting a lot of data. The Iowa DOT also makes year-round, monthly traffic counts of some locations around the state, including a few key areas around Washington County.

Area businesses or government bodies that was help collecting and interpreting this AADT county data should feel free to contact me, Ed Raber at WEDG. I love working with this data.

Community beautification grants available

Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) has announced the KIB Community Beautification Grant Program, a competitive funding source for communities under 5,000 in population. Up to $5,000 will be awarded for beautification projects, and up to $15,000 will be awarded for projects addressing derelict buildings.

In the Washington County area, the eligible communities include Ainsworth, Brighton, Crawfordsville, Kalona, Keota, Riverside, Wellman, and West Chester.

An eligible project must have one or more of the following as its purpose:

• Litter prevention – removal / education / implementation / public awareness 
• Recycling education – implementation / public awareness 
• Beautification programs – flower, tree and shrub planting, painting & fix-up and general landscaping. 
• Public nuisance abatement
• Derelict buildings – removal / renovation including asbestos abatement and removal, recovery and recycling of reusable materials and / or the purchase of recycled-content materials used in renovation efforts.

To review the eligibility requirements click here.
To download to application, click here.

Applications are due at 4:30 p.m., or postmarked, by Friday, August 20, 2010. Project awards will be announced on Friday, September 3rd.

Iowa Small Business loans of up to $50,000 now available

The Iowa Legislature created the Iowa Small Business Loan program earlier this year, and set aside $5 million. The aim is to create and keep jobs in Iowa’s recession-damaged economy by providing financing to eligible small businesses.

- by Jennifer Jacobs (with some editing from Ed Raber)

To be eligible for the Iowa Small Business Loan program, the small business or entrepreneur must:

• be located in Iowa
• be owned, operated, and actively managed by an Iowa resident
• have 35 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
• have a business plan and receive assistance from an Iowa Small Business Development Center or another qualified public or nonprofit business consultant approved by the Iowa Department of Economic Development
• not be in violation of environmental, worker safety, and labor regulations
• employ only people legally authorized to work in Iowa
• not engage in the production, depiction, or distribution of obscene material
• not be in bankruptcy and not be imminently contemplating filing for bankruptcy.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners can apply for a loan of between $2,500 to $50,000 at an interest rate of 3.9 percent. The interest rate drops to 2 percent if the state loan is combined with financing from a local lender who finances at least one third of the total loan package amount.

Iowans must use the loan money to:

• upgrade or modernize equipment
• improve efficiencies in their supply chains
• improve their distribution and transportation margins
• reduce facility costs through increased energy efficiency
• leverage other sources of business financing.

To confirm eligibility and to start a loan application, businesses should contact their local Small Business Development Center. In the Washington County area, that is Paul Heath and Tom Pickering at the University of Iowa SBDC, (319) 335-3742.


Interested businesses and entrepreneurs can also contact Ed Raber at the Washington Economic Development Group at (319) 653-3942 or wedg@iowatelecom.net to get started.

The Iowa Department of Economic Development has contracted with the Iowa Foundation for Microenterprise and Community Vitality to assist with the credit review process and provide recommendations regarding loan decisions. The Department of Economic Development will make final decisions on which loan applications are approved.

Culver said in the news release: “I am pleased to announce the launch of the Iowa Small Business Loan Program as another resource to support the growth of young companies within the state. These resources will allow them to create new financial opportunities for themselves, their employees and the communities in which they operate. These businesses will create new jobs, make our economy stronger and help move Iowa forward.”

It will take four to six weeks for a decision on an application, according to a news release this morning from Iowa Gov. Chet Culver’s staff.

For more information, go to www.ISBLoan.org, or contact  Jason Yates with the Iowa Foundation for Microenterprise and Community Vitality at (515) 401-8290 or jyates@iowamicroloan.org.

JBS United Acquires Feed Mill in Washington, Iowa

     SHERIDAN, IN, July 22, 2010 – JBS United, Inc., has acquired a feed mill and the surrounding property in Washington, Iowa that was previously owned by Practical Environmental Solutions.  Purchased through an auction on July 21st, 2010, the plant was not currently operating, so no jobs will be lost, and it is likely some jobs will be added in the area by the new JBS United plant opening.  Steve Schneider, JBS United’s Operations Manager stated, “The addition of the Washington, Iowa feed mill facility will complement the company’s existing presence in Iowa as well as regionally in the Midwest.  This will allow JBS United to expand in the region and better serve our customers.”

     The mill and property consists of 2 acres of land, 27,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, 3,000 sq. ft. of office space, 44,000 cu. ft. of outdoor storage bin capacity, 34,000 cu. ft. of interior storage space, and 13,500 cu. ft. of bulk load out storage.  Additional JBS United employees will need to be hired to staff this mill and no staffing or business changes are expected at any of the other JBS United mills in the region.  “This is a true expansion of the business”, stated Doug Webel, Chief Operating Officer of JBS United’s Nutrition and Emerging Technology division, “This was a planned, strategic acquisition that will position us to better serve the region in the future.”

     Beyond this new Washington, Iowa mill, JBS United operates six additional company-owned production facilities throughout the U.S. focusing on pre-mix and base-mix products.  In the U.S. market, JBS United provides nutrition products manufactured primarily in the form of feed premixes, base mixes, nursery starter feeds and feed additives.  The JBS United feed business has grown substantially over the years through both acquisitions and innovations that have helped the company reach more customers around the globe.

     Speaking on behalf of the company, Mr. Schneider stated, “Adding ths additional feed mill to the list of JBS United facilities is another example of our commitment to providing high quality animal nutrition products and services that exceed the expectations of our customers.  We are excited about this purchase and our continued growth.  This will help us maintain our position as one of the leading animal nutrition providers in the country.”

About JBS United
            Since its founding in 1956, JBS United, Inc. has been dedicated to providing research-based solutions to enhance animal nutrition and livestock production profitability. The company provides products to swine, poultry and dairy producers worldwide. For more information, visit the JBS United website at www.JBSunited.com.

     For more information on JBS United, contact Lisa Coverdale, Marketing Manager, at (800) 382-9909 or Lisa.Coverdale@tektm.com.

###

Washington's Keaton Walker receives business development grant from IDED

DES MOINES - A state board Thursday agreed to invest $25,000 in a feasibility study for a proposed Iowa City project exploring a humane way to euthanize horses and process the meat for animal consumption.

The state Economic Development Board gave unanimous support for a grant to Responsible Transportation, LLC, a startup company that intends to "consolidate unwanted horses across the Midwest" and put down the animals free of charge, according to DED documents. The company, which pledged nearly $31,000 for the study to be completed by July 2011, has used innovation to improve animal handling practices.

Board member Jerry Courtney, who handled the application for financial assistance, said "I was pretty skeptical what we are doing this for" but noted the study is covered by board rules and approved by the Legislature. Courtney called the request "a fascinating project" but admitted "when I got this project, I said 'whoa, what did you drop this on me for" fearing the issue will attract the attention of animal-rights activists.

"This is something that is new and different to us. It will be interesting to see how it works," added Courtney, who said the latest research indicated there are about 200,000 horses in Iowa.

Responsible Transportation requested technical assistance funding for third-party research that will allow the company to conduct a feasibility study, plan for the development of a processing plant, perform an export analysis, and design a Website and building design. The activity will facilitate the company application for a U.S. Department of Agriculture guaranteed loan to further the business operation, according to board documents.

According to the University of Iowa News Service, the business plan for Responsible Transport, LLC, was written by Keaton Walker of Washington, Iowa, a May graduate in industrial engineering who won a UI College of Engineering's entrepreneurial startup award this year providing $10,000 in initial financial support. The project also won a $5,000 grand prize in the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory's end-of-year competition.

Mr. Walker has worked with several business assistance organizations, including the Entrepreneurial Development Center in Cedar Rapids, the UI's Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the UI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC), and the Washington Economic Development Group in Washington, Iowa.

$1.9 million in I-JOBS funds for Washington County area communities

Five Washington County area communities received $1.9 million in I-JOBS funding for water and sewer projects.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced on July 7, 2010 that 71 projects had been awarded around the state for communities under 10,000 population, totaling $35 million. The five area projects represent over 5% of the statewide total.

Congratulations to these communities!

I-JOBS Water Quality Financial Assistance Program Communities with populations less than 10,000
Community	I-Jobs Grant	Project Description
Brighton	$595,000	Construction of additional lagoons and sewer main replacement
Keota	$85,000	Replacement of water mains
RUSS - Lake Trio	$160,000	Replace existing treatment lagoon with re-circulating synthetic filter
Washington	$955,000	Sanitary sewer lines
Wayland	$115,000	Water treatment plant control upgrades and additional power
	$1,910,000

July 2010 Iowa Regulatory and Program Update Bulletin

July 1st is when changes to regulations or programs frequently take effect in Iowa.  The IDED provides a great service by compiling business related info (with links) into one bulletin. Take a minute and browse through the list.

The Iowa Department of Economic Development's Regulatory Update 2010 Bulletin covers Building Codes and Professional Licensing, Climate, Employer, Energy, Environment, Public Health, Resources, Rural Development, Small Business and Transportation. More info can be found at http://regassist.iowa.gov/.

Disclaimer: The information is informational only and should not be substituted or relied upon in lieu of professional advisement or due diligence. 

You can subscribe to any of IDED's various e-newsletters on their web site.

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BUILDING CODES & PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
Plumbing and Mechanical Board –

• Certain individuals that have not previously held a license may sit for a master level exam if meeting specific criteria; must apply for exam by September 30. Ken.Sharp@idph.state.ia.us or 515/281-5099
• New Rule on Contested Cases, public hearings held on July 6; written comments must be received by July 6, see page 2819. http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/ACODOCS/DOCS/06-16-2010.Bulletin.pdf  choulson@idph.state.ia.us or 515/281-6881

Renewal Periods Coming Due – For several professions including accountants, architects, engineers and land surveyors, landscape architects, real estate appraisers and real estate brokers and sale persons.
http://www.state.ia.us/government/com/prof/home.html
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – Effective July 1, amateur MMA events will be regulated in Iowa.  No unsanctioned events are allowed in Iowa after July 1.
http://www.iowaworkforce.org/labor/athletic.htm
Bonding Requirements for Construction Contractors – Effective July 1,   all cons truction contractors that have a home office outside of Iowa will be required to post a bond prior to issuance of a contractor registration number.  http://www.iowaworkforce.org/labor/contractor.htm
Elevators and Other Conveyances Require New Forms – Iowa Workforce Development reminds inspectors to use new updated test forms for hydraulic, traction, platform, escalator, wind town and construction hoist. Outdated forms will not be accepted after July 15, any outdated forms will be returned for corrections.
http://www.iowaworkforce.org/labor/elevator_forms.htm
Issuance of Iowa Permits for Nonprofessional weapons – FAQs about SF 2379 which amended Iowa Code Ch. 724 available online.
http://www.dps.state.ia.us/a sd/SF2379_FAQ_Version1_0.pdf

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CLIMATE

National Research Council on Climate Change – Comprehensive reports outline need for national strategy to meet challenge of climate change.
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=05192010

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
National 24th Annual Main Street Downtown Summit – To be held August 24 & 25 in Davenport will focus on the latest trends and strategies for historic preservation-based commercial district revitalization in rural, mid-sized and urban communities.
http://www .iowalifechanging.com/calendar/displaycalendar.aspx?ID=117&destid=1100317
Harvard Business Review on Going Green Strategies – The June 2010 HBR edition addresses how going green is now a corporate imperative.
http://hbr.org/2010/06/growing-green/ar/1

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EMPLOYER
Work Opportunity Tax Credit – Provides a tax credit to employers hiring individuals from certain groups, such as persons with disabilities.  
http://www.blind.state.ia.us/financial-incentives-hiring-persons-disabilities
Workforce Training Calendar – Courses including Workplace Essentials Workshops, GED Tutoring, Your Successful Job Search, Res Orientation and IowaWorks are being offered.
http://www.iowaworkforce.org/calendar/
Law Requires Health and Safety Poster to be 8 ½ x 14 – To comply with providing information on job safety and health postings.
http://www.iowaworkforce.org/labor/iosh/70-8025.pdf
Online Disability Resources Advisor – Employers can quickly identify federal disability nondiscrimination laws which apply to their business, state regulations may also apply.  
http://www.dol.gov/elaws/odep.htm

Summer Jobs and Teen Safety - Useful information on how teens can be safe on the job.
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers/teenworkers.html

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ENERGY
NE Wind Bill – Will allow private companies to sell up to 90% of electricity out of state.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/news_detail.cfm/news_id=15980
VA Green Energy Laws – Includes a $500 tax credit and Universities Clean Energy Development and Economic Stimulus Foundation.http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/state_news_detail.cfm/news_id=15910/state=VA

WI Energy Consortium – Clean Energy Generation, Transmission, and Storage Systems Consortium will combine expertise of state, industry and government partners with R&D capabilities.http://apps1.eere.energy .gov/states/state_news_detail.cfm/news_id=16009/state=WI

Kerry-Liberman American Power Act – Discussion draft of proposed federal legislation released.
http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/APASectionbySection.pdf
Federal Energy Information Administration Reports GHG Decline – Emissions declined 7% last year, attributed in great part to the recession.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/
Clean Tech Energy Midlife Support – Investors of clean-tech companies now need capital to grow and experienced advisors to refine business models and marketing strategies.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/business/energy-environment/10virgin.html?ref=science

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ENVIRONMENT

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AIR

PM 2.5 Workgroups – Workgroups and key topics have been established to assist DNR with exploring how to implement the new standard.   http://www.iowadnr.gov/air/prof/meet_wg/pm25/

Determination Letters to MSWs – Will be sent by DNR to all active MSWs to help determine applicability / compliance status with NSPS and Title V requirements as landfills undergo expansions.  Contact DNR's Dennis Thielen at (515) 281-4899 or Dennis.Thielen@dnr.iowa.gov

Final Revision to Sulfur Dioxide Primary NAAQ – EPA has strengthened the new one hour standard which will impact business and co mmunities.
http://www.epa.gov/air/sulfurdioxide/actions.html#jun10

Regulatory Impact of New Boiler MACT and Related Rules – EPA's proposed rules to reduce HAPs will be final in December. http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/combustion/docs/boilerria20100429.pdf

Final GHG Tailoring Rule Set – GHG emission thresholds for defining (NSR) PSD and Title V operation permits required for new and existing industrial facilities have been set.http://www.epa.gov/nsr/actions.html#may10 

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WATER

Dubuque Plant Designed to Use 25% Less Water and Energy than Typical Facility – Hormel' s CSR reports water consumption and solid waste reduced, 9% and 16%, respectively.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/03/30/new-hormel-plant-to-use-25-less-water-energy/
Rulemaking Initiated on Sanitary Sewer Overflows – More information on the potential rule and “listening sessions”.
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=4
Water Pollution Control Needs – EPA estimates $300 billion over the next 20 years.http://www.epa.gov/cwns
Testing Methods for Drinking Water – 12 new alternatives for measuring contaminants to determine compliance with primary drinking water regulations.http://epa.gov/safewater/methods/analyticalmethods_expedited.html
< p>New Guidance on CAFO Regulations – Released by EPA on NPDES permitting for a CAFO that proposes to discharge if it is designed, constructed, operated or maintained in such a matter that a discharge will occur. http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/info.cfm
Clean Water Enforcement – Interactive web tools enables public to check water violations in their communities. http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/ancr/us/

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RECYCLING & SOLID WASTE

Iowa Recycling Association (IRA) Annual Program – “Closing the Loop, Getting Back to the Basics” will be held July 15 at Reiman Gardens in Ames.
http://www.iowarecycles.org /content.asp?ID=4607&Date=7/15/2010
Zero Waste Strategy – Being implemented by school cafeterias, national parks, restaurants, stadiums and corporations. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/science/earth/20trash.html?_r=1

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ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING DATES 
Title V Semi-Annual Monitoring Report – September 30, 2010
http://www.iowadnr.gov/air/prof/oper/optv2.html

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PUBLIC HEALTH
Send College Kids Off Safely – Iowa Department of Health urges parents to encourage their children to receive a meningococcal meningitis vaccine.
http://www.idph.state.ia.us/IdphNews/Reader.aspx?id=B3A72127-B368-495E-8C30-BF3D9B0AF988

New Online Resources for Environmental Health Professionals – Information and training resources.
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/

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SMALL BUSINESS

SBA and GOOGLE TEAM – Assisting small business with a series of online tools and videos.http://www.google.com/help/places/partners/sba/index.html
SBA Trade Export Assistance - Online pod casts for small businesses wanting to find international markets.  www.sba.gov/tools/audiovideo/Podcasts/INTL_TRADE.html
Free Sources of Economic Market Data – Several sources of market data to better understand your customer base and competition. http://community2.business.gov/t5/Small-Business-Matters/Need-the-Facts-5-Sources-of-Free-Economic-and-Market-Data-from/ba-p/22766?cm_mmc=GovDelivery-_-061610-_-weekly-_-community

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RESOURCES
Monthly Consumer Bulletin – Informs Iowans on how to be a savvy customer.
http://www.iowa.gov/government/ag/consumer_advisories/index.html
State Fair August 12 – 22 – Online schedule of free entertainment at this year's fair.
http://www.iowastatefair.org/entertainment/mediaPlayer/free-entertainment-list.php
State of Iowa Audit Reports – Available online. http://auditor.iowa.gov/reports/index.html
Diversity in Iowa Calendar – Online listings of civil rights training, diversity conferences and other activities taking place across Iowa.
http://www.iowa.gov/government/crc/calendar/index.html
ASSOCIATION OF TRAVEL INSTRUCTION (ATI) – August 13-15 in Baltimore, MD supports travel instruction for the purpose of teaching people with disability and seniors to travel safely and independently; scholarships available. http://www.trave linstruction.org/ati_conference.html

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RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Nontechnical Rules on Nonchemical Pest Control Devices – Due to increased marketing of sonic devices IDALS is proposing manufacturers submit efficacy and safety data and bear testing costs.
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/ACODocs/DOCS/05-19-2010.21.pdf
USDA Award - $14.1 million to IDALS under the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative will help restore 37 quality wetlands in Iowa.
http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2010Press/press06172010.asp
Registry on Iowa Hay & Straw Directory – Hay and straw producers, as well as related organizations and businesses pr omoting and marketing quality hay and straw encouraged to register.
http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2010Press/press06172010b.asp

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Transportation
Long Waits on the Tarmac – Endured by passengers beyond three hours will not be tolerated under new federal rules.
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/newsnotes/nn19360.htm
Motor Carrier Permitting Automated – IDOT practices of receiving requests by phone is now ended; motor carriers requesting oversize/overweight load and trip permits will have three options to request a permit.
http://www.new s.iowadot.gov/newsandinfo/2010/05/iowa-dot-takes-next-step-toward-fully-automating-its-motor-carrier-permitting-processes-.html

Laborshed employment study

  The Washington Economic Development Group is working with the Iowa Workforce Development’s Regional Research & Analysis Bureau to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Washington County area.  This study will develop the potential labor force from which the Washington area employers draw their employees.  The study will assist existing and potential new businesses in better understanding the areas labor force and characteristics. This study is part of a regional, multi-county effort. 

The Laborshed boundary is based on the place of residence of individuals working in the Washington area.  For the success of this study, we are asking employers in the Laborshed area to provide aggregate counts of their employees by ZIP code by place of residence.  For example, you would report that you have 16 employees residing in ZIP code 51101.

Survey results will then be applied to demographic data to develop a total potential labor force of the Laborshed as well as estimates for various labor force characteristics.

If you have any question about the Laborshed employment study project or the employer reporting sheets, please contact Ryan Murphy at 515-281-7505 or Ed Raber at 319-653-3942.

The funding for this project came from a grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation, and from Alliant Energy. Thank you for your support.

###

CONTACT:

Ryan Murphy, Project Manager

Iowa Workforce Development

1000 E Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319

Telephone:  515-281-7505

FAX:  515-281-9656

Or

Ed Raber, Executive Director

Washington Economic Development Group

205 West Main Street

Washington, Iowa 52353

Telephone:  319-653-3942

FAX:  319-653-5805

wedg@iowatelecom.net